Belgut Member of Parliament (MP) Nelson Koech has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the withholding of benefits for retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking on Citizen TV, Koech emphasized that Uhuru should not complain because he is a man of means, with his family being well-endowed with wealth.
The MP, who is also the Chair of National Assembly’s Defense Committee, pointed out that every Kenyan is struggling at the moment, and that the Office of the President should not be an exception.
He emphasized that Kenyans do not have food on their tables, and it was therefore unfair to prioritize the former president’s demands.
“Uhuru is a man of means today, even if he was given the vehicles that are going to cost about Ksh140 million, he will hardly use those vehicles,” he said.
Uhuru Should be The Last to Ask for Pension
The MP also emphasized that Uhuru should be the last person to demand pension, citing the numerous other pensioners in the country who are struggling to receive their benefits.
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“Uhuru Kenyatta should be the last person to demand for his pension. There is a code of conduct for all civil servants and that is why you have not heard complaints from the likes of Moody Awori who benefits from the same scheme or even Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila Odinga,” he said.
Koech further noted that Uhuru’s demands were politically motivated and unfair, given the state of the economy.
“Kenyans are suffering and it is important to understand where people are, it is unfair for a former president who you can see is definitely enjoying leges of government and traveling everywhere in the world to still demand for money when he knows the state of the economy.”
Koech Calls out Uhuru for Demanding Benefits
Furthermore, he called out the former president for demanding benefits from the current regime despite being well aware of the country’s economic situation.
“He is the one who was driving, who was in the steering wheel, and he knows the where the economy of this country is at the moment, I will want to hear the same president using the same breath of demanding that other pensioners are paid.”
“Uhuru Kenyatta has been blessed; his family has been blessed to the extent that they are able to even operate without necessarily even getting pension.”
“Not to say that they should not warrant a pension, but I’m telling you it is unfair what Uhuru Kenyatta is demanding,” he said.
Koech Questions Politicians’ Entitlement to Pension
The MP also questioned the entitlement of politicians to demand certain benefits upon retirement, stating that there are conditionalities and blackmail involved.
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“What is the entitlement with politicians? I don’t get it. What is the entitlement that when you retire you want these money it must be given and there are conditionalities and blackmail? I find that very unfair to the rest of Kenyans,” he said.
Koech argued that it was unfair for Uhuru to demand a huge budgetary allocation of Ksh 500 million when many Kenyans cannot even afford something to eat.
He emphasized that there has been no check released to many organizations and agencies within the government, and they are not complaining because they are aware of the state of the economy.
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